MANIFESTO OF JOHN VALDER CONVENOR OF THE “NOT HAPPY, JOHN ” CAMPAIGN
A wide range of men and women from right across the political spectrum are coming together to oppose the re-election of Prime Minister John Howard in his own electorate of Bennelong.
The plan is to mount a major campaign under the banner of “Not Happy, John”, the title of Margo Kingston’s new and highly successful (if critical) book about John Howard.
A former Liberal Party President, John Valder, has agreed to head the “Not Happy, John” organising committee.
This committee has attracted the immediate and enthusiastic support of a great many individuals and refugee support groups.
We are now compiling a long list of names of prominent men and women from a wide range of activities who have already indicated their support for our “Not Happy, John” project. Their names will be made public at one of our planned campaign events after the election date is finally announced.
We are now attracting both the financial and volunteer help vitally necessary for success in any campaign.
The campaign is being developed in response to widespread and growing community concern with a variety of John Howard’s policies and attitudes.
In particular has been his role in the aggressive invasion of Iraq which, for all of 16 months now, has been inflicting constant violence and awful suffering on the Iraqi people.
Combined with the Iraq issue has been widespread dismay at Howard’s unquestioned acceptance of virtually every U.S. decision, opinion or assurance given by President George Bush, not just on Iraq but on issues like the the continuing rough and gross injustice imposed on the Guantanamo Bay detainees.
All this has caused damage to our international reputation, especially in Asia and Europe, and at home to our own sense of self-respect, in contrast to the situation in New Zealand.
Then there has been his long-held harsh attitude towards asylum seekers which continues to be a cause of so much anger.
In addition there have been many other less specific but nevertheless significant issues disturbing the community's mood and prompting the formation of the “ Not Happy , John” campaign. They include:
* Taking the Liberal party too far to the right and thereby challenging its own basic, traditional democratic values.
* His assumption of a too dominant personal control of cabinet and the parliamentary Liberal party, thus both stifling internal party debate and silencing diversity of opinion.
* Strongly discouraging objective public service advice.
* Usurping some of the roles of the Governor General.
* Spending on government advertising for political purposes. * Condoning breaches of his own ministerial code of conduct.
* Allowing his own honesty and integrity to come into question.
Many now believe that these and other factors are producing a growing fear of what happens when too much power falls into the hands of any one leader. Even without another term in office, John Howard is already show9ing the first ominous signs of being ready to use his growing power to start threatening our fundamental freedoms - freedoms that every one of us, no matter where we've been born, have always been able to take absoutely for granted. Never before have they been under such threat.
The “ Not Happy, John!” campaign does not intend to advocate support for any particular candidate opposing John Howard.
Despite our joint opposition to Howard himself, many of us, myself included, wish to see a Liberal Government returned but with a swing back to a much fairer, honest, decent and less divisive party based on true Liberal principles.
Many others of us are expected to support Andrew Wilkie (Greens), Nicole Campbell (ALP), or an independent candidate.
However, the one object we have in common is TO BRING THE HOWARD ERA TO AN END.
August 9 update: Since publication, Valder has slightly amended the text of his manifesto, replacing the second last paragraph. The altered paragraph originally read: "Many others of us are expected to support Andrew Wilkie or Nicole Campbell, the ALP candidate, or other independents."
